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Dear Supporter,
Three years in the making and with several public workshops along the way, the proposed final draft of Madison County’s updated comprehensive plan is ready for your review! The Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will host a joint public hearing Wednesday, May 7 to receive and consider any final public comment and to possibly vote on approval.
Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing
Wednesday, May 7 @ 7-9 p.m.
414 North Main Street
From the beginning of the update process, PEC has worked alongside Madison County residents and officials to promote both conservation and smart growth policies. As a result of that advocacy, we believe the proposed draft of the updated comprehensive plan gets it right: advancing an approach to development that complements existing services and infrastructure, protects natural resources, open space, and productive farmland, and enhances a compact and livable Town of Madison. We hope you’ll join us in supporting the proposed comprehensive plan at the public hearing.
Read on for how you can make your voice heard!
What’s a Comprehensive Plan?
The comprehensive plan represents the community’s vision for the future and, under Virginia law, must be updated every five years. It outlines long-range recommendations for growth and development for the next 5-20 years. While it doesn’t carry the same force of law as a zoning ordinance, the comprehensive plan can form the basis of a decision to approve or deny a rezoning or special use permit.
PEC Supports Proposed Update
We hope as new land use proposals come before the Madison County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, the updated comprehensive plan will help steer future economic growth and residential development to the county’s existing developed areas. This strategic investment could help improve infrastructure and quality of life for area residents, while preserving the county’s existing agricultural economy, rural character and scenic beauty outside of the developed areas.
Some highlights of the draft updated comprehensive plan we’re particularly supportive of are:
Land Use
Goal 1: Preserve agriculture as the county’s primary land use.
Goal 2: Protect environmentally sensitive areas and limit the environmental impacts of new development.
Goal 3: Direct and focus higher-density housing developments on residentially zoned land with existing services near the Town of Madison, and secondarily smaller-scale housing developments within established existing village areas.
Economic Development
Goal 1: Promote tourism, tourist/visitor-related enterprises, and agritourism activities as a mechanism to support a vibrant rural economy.
Goal 3: Ensure the establishment of new or expanded industries and commercial establishments near principal roadways and designed to mitigate potential negative impacts on the natural environment and any nearby residential areas.
Housing
Goal 1: Foster a variety of housing options to suit residents and potential residents that preserves and enhances Madison County’s rural character and quality of life.
Transportation
Goal 3: Work with VDOT and the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission to evaluate alternative transportation models such as ridesharing and/or vanpooling locations within the County and intercity bus service beyond the County.
Recreation
Goal 5: Promote and protect Madison County’s network of unpaved, rural roads, including working with VDOT to consider safety and maintenance alternatives other than paving.
We believe the draft plan, as written, is good for Madison County, establishing a sustainable blueprint for the future. You can join PEC in urging the county to approve the draft plan in two ways: in-person and via email.
- Attend the public hearing: Wednesday, May 7, the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission will meet at 414 North Main Street to receive and consider public comment and hopefully vote to approve the comprehensive plan update. Members of the public can each speak for three minutes at the public hearing.
- Write your elected officials: You can email the entire Board of Supervisors your comments. Just copy and paste the five email addresses into an email and send it at least one day ahead of the meeting so they have a chance to read it: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to seeing many of you at the public hearing May 7!
Thank you,
Don McCown
Madison County Field Representative
[email protected]
(434) 977-2033 ext. 7047